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Our Captors Flogged Us Daily, Fed Us Kunnu, Rice – Niger School Pupils

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Our Captors Flogged Us Daily, Fed Us Kunnu, Rice – Niger School Pupils

Our Captors Flogged Us Daily, Fed Us Kunnu, Rice – Niger School Pupils
August 28
07:57 2021

The released abducted children of the Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School, Tegina have said that they were fed mostly rice and kunnu (a local delicacy) during their 88 days in captivity and were flogged daily by their abductors. Furera Isah, one of the abductees, who spoke about their experiences at the hands of their captors, said they enjoyed no comfort whatsoever throughout the period as they were made to sleep on bare ground and were ceaselessly beaten by rain.

She said: “The months we spent there were not comfortable at all. Our lives were not sweet. They beat us all the time. Every time, they call us at night to beat us.

“As for food, they gave us rice and kunnu. We usually ate three times a day. They did not starve us. But they beat us every time.

“They allowed us to pray. We slept in a shabby place. The rain usually beats us whenever it falls.”

Furera recalled that their captors made them to trek for four days after they were abducted, saying that none of them was carried on the bandits’ motorcycles.

“After they carried us from the school, we walked very far. We spent four days on the road. Even when we were tired, they beat us and forced us to walk.”

Another of the pupils, who spoke barely before he was whisked away by medical personnel, said that none of them was assaulted or molested.

“They did not touch us; they only beat us. They flogged us every day,” he said.

Medical personnel confirmed that they discovered a lot of marks on the bodies of the children, which was evidence that they were beaten continuously.

Niger State governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, said that 91 pupils of the school were abducted by bandits, adding that one was killed during their stay in captivity.

Bello, who received the released children in Government House Minna, said that 90 students were released alongside two of the teachers.

He said: “Late last night, moving into the early morning of this morning, we received the abducted Tegina Islamiyya children that were kidnapped on the 30th of May this year.

“They arrived in Minna in the early hours of this morning, and since then, the medical officials have been attending to them to assure of their health status.

“In total, 91 children were kidnapped and we have received 90. We lost one of them. Alongside the 91 children, two other people were abducted, who have been released as well. The total number received is 92.

“All the children have been checked and all of them but four appear to be okay. We will be releasing them to their parents who are eager to have their loved ones back to them.”

The governor declared that those who abducted the children are sick and mad, adding that the government is taking all necessary measures to ensure that they are hunted down and prosecuted.

He said: “I will like to congratulate all of us who have contributed towards the release of the children. This goes to show that there is sickness and madness in the head of some people. Otherwise, I can’t explain or imagine why you will abduct a three-year-old and keep him or her for more than 80 days.

“I can assure you that we will do what it takes to bring them to justice. We have put in place all necessary measures to hunt down and prosecute those involved in this act.”

Appreciating God and everyone for an end to the saga of the abducted children, the governor said the incident has affected the confidence of the people in government and made parents to think twice before sending their children to school, adding that measures were being taken to strengthen security in all the schools across the state.

“It is my prayer that Allah will not allow us to see this again in Niger State and Nigeria. This has affected the morale, the confidence in people and made parents think twice before they send their children to school.

“Put in place measures to secure schools. Close down schools in the forest until the security situation improves,” he said.

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Opeyemi

Opeyemi

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